Serving Well: Help for the Wannabe, Newbie or Weary Cross-Cultural Christian Worker by Jonathan and Elizabeth Trotter Recommended by a friend who had it recommended to him, this is not my favorite read. The style is not one I’m very fond of, overly friendly and informal with useful tips interspersed with emotional self-disclosures. I think this… Continue reading Book Review: Serving Well
Category: Theology
Reading Ramblings – October 17, 2021
Date: 21st Sunday after Pentecost – October 17, 2021 Texts: Ecclesiastes 5:10-20; Psalm 119:9-16; Hebrews 4:1-13(14-16); Mark 10:23-31 Context: A challenging group of readings in a culture where earning and buying is how we are taught to define our worth. In a culture where display of what we have accomplished (or what we want others… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – October 17, 2021
Beginnings
It’s early morning here on the West Coast. The rest of my family is still sleeping soundly when my alarm goes off at 5:30am. I stumble about, getting dressed, making a cup of hot tea, fiddling with the settings on my phone and WhatsApp – the application I’ll be using shortly to do something I’ve… Continue reading Beginnings
Reading Ramblings – October 3, 2021
Date: Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost – October 3, 2021 Texts: Genesis 2:18-25; Psalm 128; Hebrews 2:1-13; Mark 10:2-16 Context: Life is a blessing from God. We do not own it, and we are mistaken when we believe we are free to arbitrarily create or end it on our terms. Disengaging life from the Creator is… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – October 3, 2021
Book Review: The 3D Gospel
The 3D Gospel: Ministry in Guilt, Shame and Fear Cultures by Jayson Georges This book was recommended by my friend and colleague JP. It’s a short read (74 pages), but it is likely to give lifelong Christians more food for thought than many much longer books. The author worked overseas in Central Asia for close to… Continue reading Book Review: The 3D Gospel
Reading Ramblings – August 29, 2021
Date: Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost – Texts: Genesis 12:1-4; Psalm 96; 1 Corinthians 7:17-24; Mark 5:1-20 Context: Something different this week. I’m preaching in two small congregations in Northern Arizona on Sunday and the pastor serving them both is preparing a sermon for the previous Sunday (8/22) entitled Go When God Calls. Since he’s setting… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – August 29, 2021
Sowing and Reaping
Twenty two years ago my wife returned to the Phoenix area after completing her degree at Concordia University, Irvine. Rather than seeking out a job she decided to launch a ministry. Based out of the LCMS campus ministry to Arizona State University located right across the street from campus, she launched an outreach to international… Continue reading Sowing and Reaping
Reading Ramblings – August 22, 2021
Date: Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost – August 22, 2021 Texts: Isaiah 29:11-19; Psalm 14; Ephesians 5:22-33; Mark 7:1-13 Context: Whenever this reading from Ephesians 5 comes up I feel compelled to focus and preach on it because it is so misunderstood in our time. The readings as a whole today have a theme of the… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – August 22, 2021
Reading Ramblings – August 15, 2021
Date: Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost ~ August 15, 2021 Texts: Proverbs 9:1-10; Psalm 34:12-22; Ephesians 5:6-21; John 6:51-69 Context: Pastors are trained to interpret Biblical texts. It ought to be a lifelong practice of not just personal reflection but also continued study in the art of exegesis, with reference to how others have interpreted the… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – August 15, 2021
Reading Ramblings – August 1, 2021
Date: Tenth Sunday after Pentecost ~ August 1, 2021 Texts: Exodus 16:2-15; Psalm 145:10-21; Ephesians 4:1-16; John 6:22-35 Context: In 2012 I noted how switching the Gospel readings to John 6 for the next three weeks provided a more in-depth reflection on the feeding of the 5000 we read a few weeks ago in Mark. While I… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – August 1, 2021
The Nelson Family Indonesia 